Yes, No, Maybe
by maplexsyrup
Summary: Oneshot. And then Alicia asks that fateful question. "Have you ever cheated on a significant other?" Cassie, Mosh. Secret Santa Fic exchange for lipglossgirlsavestheday!


**A/N: **Secret Santa fic for **lipglossgirlsavestheday**. Merry Christmas, K!  
**Prompts used: **A huge snowstorm, a Christmas party at the Block's, an enormous Christmas tree, and a Green Day line (it's from _When I Come Around)_.

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the Clique. Don't own the prompts. Don't own the song "When I Come Around". You get the picture.

--

- Yes, No, Maybe -

--

It's the night before New Year's Eve, and it's a record-breaking snowfall.

The power's out.

Your parents are stranded in St. Barts because the Westchester County Executive Airport is closed, and for that matter, so is JFK (not that your old-money well-to-do parents would ever consider flying on a _commercial aircraft, _please!).

Inez is busy downloading apps onto her new iPhone (a Christmas gift from your parents), and your friend has just had the "brilliant" idea to bust out a bottle of Bailey's from your parents' extensive liquor cabinet and start a game of Have You Ever?

Alicia thinks for a moment, the light from the battery-powered lantern flickering across her face, and then asks:

"Have you ever cheated on a significant other?"

--

**No**. _Because cheating means kissing. And you've never kissed him._

There was that one time, you guess, at your parent's Christmas Eve party less than a week ago. To anyone else, it looked like Josh simply tripped over his shoelace as he was passing you and grabbed your shoulder for support.

No one noticed that as he leaned in, he gently brushed his lips against your ear as he whispered your name.

_Massie. _

You keep walking, because your boyfriend's note is burning a hole in your pocket. _Meet me under the mistletoe. -C_

But you can't stop thinking about how your name has never sounded so amazing. When _he_ says it, it's so sickly sweet it should come with a dietician's warning: _Danger--May Cause Instant Diabetes_.

**No**, _you've never kissed him. But do you want to?_

--

**Maybe**. _Is it friendship, or something more? And really, what is emotional cheating?_

When did you actually become more than friends with Josh Hotz?

In middle school, he was just that boy who looked like Alicia. Derrick's friend. An A-list guy, sure, but no one _special_.

Then he sat beside you that first day in Advanced Science. The only person who wasn't a dreaded N/LBR (nerd/loser beyond repair,) and who didn't smirk annoyingly because they got 99 on their test while you just scraped by.

Maybe it was when you went to your cousin's volleyball game and sat with him. (Her team played his little sister's). Your cousin won, and you've never let him forget it.

Or perhaps it was when he challenged you to a one-on-one rematch ("Let's see who's family is better at volleyball now, foo!") in the school gym. You ponted and yelled "Hey, Alicia! Put your shirt back on!" and drop-kicked the ball over the net when he turned to look. The poor boy never had a chance.

When did he suddenly become the person you always wanted to spend time with?

You freeze, thinking it happened about the time you started feeling smothered.

Because Cam, your perfect, lovely, charming, thinks-you're-the-one boyfriend is always around. Always surprising you with gifts, flowers, and mix CD's. Like that day before school, when he stopped you on the Great Lawn.

_He paused, holding your face in his hands. _

_"Massie?" he asked quietly. It wasn't really a question._

_You nod slightly._

_"I love you. More than anything." And when you look into his eyes, you know that he means it. But you feel incapable of a normal reaction. Any other girl would kiss him passionately or leap into his arms. But you just stand there._

_Because you realize you're trapped._

_You walked into Science that day in a depressed haze._

_"What's wrong?" he asked._

_And even though you don't want to, you find yourself blurting out your story._

_"...And I just... I don't know what to do anymore."_

_"Well... I guess you can't go forcing something if it's just not right."_

**Maybe**. _Because he's the one that knows your story._

--

**Yes**. _Because your boyfriend doesn't have a clue._

How many times have you not made plans with Cam because you had "homework," "chores," or "babysitting"? _Too many._

Even though most of those times you did absolutely nothing (you just didn't feel up to an afternoon of being fawned over), there were a few days when you claimed you needed help with science (Physics was never your strong suit) and invited yourself over to Josh's.

And then suddenly, you weren't just _not making _plans, you were _cancelling_ them. Using every excuse to drop by Josh's house, or meet him in the library before school. You try to tell yourself _it's innocent, it's just a friendship_, but the plans you cancelled weren't the only ones Cam had for the two of you...

_"Merry Christmas, Massie," he says as he hands you the tiny black box. Your fingers scramble to untie the purple ribbon, and you toss it to the floor. You've never been good with patience. You flip the box open, expecting earrings or a charm for your bracelet. But no. Sparkling back at you is a gold-diamond-and-amethyst version of a ball and chain._

_Yes, Cam Fisher has just given you a ring._

_"It doesn't mean anything, really," he reassures you, " I just saw it and thought of you." But the look on his face tells you he's lying. It means something, _everything_, to him._

_You plead the usual excuse, "bad sushi", and run to the bathroom._

You're sixteen, young, beautiful. You don't need to find The One in high school. You don't _want_ to find The One. But what could you say? You took deep breaths for a moment and slid it on the least meaningful place you could think of--the middle finger of your right hand.

You walked into Science days later, the ring screaming "_Look at me! I'm sixteen and practically married!" _You wish you could take it off. Hide it. Drop it in a beaker of acid. Anything to prevent Josh from seeing it--

"So, Fisher's put his mark on you for good now, hmm?"

The next day, you put the ring on a gold chain and hung it around your neck. Once no one could see it, you couldn't help but feel better. For about two seconds. Then you felt trapped again.

That's another reason why nothing will; _nothing can_, ever happen with Josh. Because **yes**, Cam Fisher loves you more than life itself.

--

"Have you ever cheated on a significant other?" Alicia repeats the question.

"Nope," says Kristen lazily. Dylan shakes her head, playing with a glass ornament from your enormous Christmas tree.

Claire drains her glass. "What?" she says, "I kissed Josh in seventh grade when I was kind of going out with Cam, remember?" You wince, thankful for the darkness. That hit a little too close to home.

"Massie. What about you?"

_Yes._

_Maybe._

That glass of Bailey's looks so tempting, just begging you to drink it. But you can't. Can't admit your true feelings. _Can't break Cam Fisher's heart._

"No."

* * *

**A/N **Many thanks to Maddie, Hannah and Grammar Kween Amy for beta-ing. I don't know what I would do without y'all. **REVIEW.**

Happy Holidays!


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